Splice-bar.



EDWIN B. ELDRIDGE, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPLICE-BAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Application filed October 13, 1908.

Patented June 1, 1909.

Serin No. 457,526.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWIN B. ELDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residingI at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Splice-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tosplice bars, and has for an object to provide a device of this character adapted to securely hold the meeting ends of rail sections, and to securely brace the said rail sections between the base flange and the tread flange.

A further object of this invention is to provide a splice bar comprising two sections which may be conveniently and. quickly mounted in place upon the rail ends, and to so construct one element of the said splice bar so that it may be conveniently detached without removing the other part of the said splice bar.

A further object of this invention is to provide means so that the splice bar will assume its correct or perpendicular position irrespective of the inclination of the ties.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is bet ter set forth, and it will be understood that changes within the scope of the claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing, forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views z-Figure 1 is a top plan view of two rail ends showing the application of the present splice bar thereto. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly7 to the drawing, rail sections A and B are provided which are of the usual construction and comprise the tread flange 1, a base flange 2 and` the connecting web 3. The splice bar comprises an element 4 having an enlarged vertical portion 5 having a beveled lower portion 6 and a beveled u per portion 7, the said beveled ortions being adapted to seat against tile beveled faces of the tread and base flanges of the rail sections which materially strengthens the web 3 at this joint and adjacent thereto as will be readily understood. The portion 5 has formed integral therewith at its lower end an angularly disposed portion 8.which is thus adapted to seat against a portion of the base flange. A longitudinally extending base 9 is connected with the portion 8 and extends from one side of the rail sections to the other side as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The base 9 is preferably tapered and consists of a reduced portion 10 and an enlarged portion 11. The base 9 is grooved longitudinally at one side of the rail sections as clearly indicated at 12, and the provision of the said groove forms a longitudinally extending shoulder 13 and a longitudinally extending flat face or seat 14.

An element 15 is provided and comprises a portion 16 similar to the portion 5, and the said portion A16 at the lower end is formed integral with an outwardly directed portion 17. A longitudinally extending rib or bead 18 is carried by the ortion 17 and is provided so that it may e seated in the groove 12. The rib or bead 18 carries an outwardly directed flange 19 which when the said rib is in position rests upon the seat 14. The flange 19 and the seat 14 are provided with vertical alining passages to receive clamping bolts 20. The portions 5 and 16 of the elements 4 and 15 are provided with alining H- horizontal passages 21 which receive hori- Zontally disposed clamping bolts 22 which are also engaged in passages or slots formed inthe rail sections. Suitable notches 23 are formed in the base portions of the elements 4 and 15 to receive clamping bolts or spikes to be engaged with railway ties. v

It will be seen that an extremely simple 'and useful splice bar is provided which is so constructed so that an effective joint is provided for the rail sections. The construction of the elements 4 and 15 is such that the web -portions 3 at each side of the joint are effectively braced and the said. web portions are consequently relieved of considerable strain and are prevented from buckling as has been experienced heretofore in railway structures of this character. When it is desired to replace old rail sections by new ones the member 4 may remain upon the sections intact, and by removing the bolts 2O and 22 the element 15 can be removed to allow proper access to the said rail sections.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed, as new is The combination with meeting rail sec tions, of a splice bar comprising separable elements located atvthe sides of the webs of the sections and having portions disposed between the base flanges and the tread v flanges, one of said elements having a longltudinally extending base for supporting t e series of passages alining with the passages formed in the seat, vertically extending bolts disposed in the passages formed in the seat and in the passages formed in the flange, and horizontally disposed fastening devices engaged with the said elements and with the said rail ends.

ln. testimony wllereof l allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\\."'itnesses Y SYLvEs'rER M. Rueil, OsvrLLE l. lUon. 

